The Voice for the St. Louis Construction Industry

KWK Architects

When designing or renovating a student housing facility, square footage, number of occupants and budget are often top design considerations. Designing for student safety ranks even higher, say the experts at KWK Architects.

“Protecting students from intruders and dangerous individuals is always top of mind, and frequently discussed during the design process for any student housing project that KWK Architects is involved with,” said KWK Principal Javier Esteban, AIA, LEED AP. “There are several common safety strategies that we as architects always strive to implement in any design. Sophisticated new technologies are adding a valued extra layer of safety to traditional designs.”

According to Esteban, the safety and security industry is moving toward more personalized security systems where a user’s data resides directly on access cards to gain entry to student housing facilities, and fingerprinting or other biometric processes are being used to access secure areas. The new generation of security cameras also provide higher definition images at lower lighting levels, with the ability to cover much wider angles, creating a very strong, multi-layered security system.

“The prices of these sophisticated devices are coming down and will soon be affordable for many universities,” said Esteban. “The level of sophistication of new access control system technology can provide almost instantaneous data on what key was used and when the entry was accessed and locked, and could also provide control of locking from the outside via a website in cases of wired electronic door hardware. This technology can also provide a vital tool for forensic examination should a security breach occur.”

Specifying new door hardware technologies that allow for greater control

Using Power Over Ethernet (POE) access control hardware that allows for centralized building locking controls on doors in case of an intruder or active shooter

Monitoring entry points at the building with electronic controls and cameras

Installing local alarms at exit-only stairs and exits to notify security of potential breaches, including timers on doors for alarms to sound in case a door has been propped open

Including a bedroom, suite or apartment electronic access control point

Esteban says traditional design theories that incorporate basic layers of security and the human element on site, throughout the building, and in individual units should still apply in today’s student housing designs and complement the use of technology. These include:

Creating a clear separation between public and private areas

Reducing the number of building entry points to guide students and visitors past a reception desk, while still maintaining an adequate number of exit points

Providing adequate exterior lighting near the building

Creating clear paths to public areas and reducing or eliminating hiding places, such as open access enclosures and tall, dense landscaping

Controlling access points at the main public floors between the public and residential floors

Incorporating a reception “front desk” area with a set of eyes (this is typical at most if not all residence halls)

Designing spaces that create a sense of security. For example, instead of having a dark, empty sidewalk, design the sidewalk to pass near a public space that people can observe

Locating large windows in the first-floor lounges that face building accesses to provide visibility

Designing laundry rooms with glazing-facing corridors, or even locating washers and dryers in a manner that does not create dead-end situations, so a person would have two accesses out

“In the end, when it comes to designing for security, the good guys must always have it right, but the bad guys only need to breach these systems once. Despite all the new, more advanced technologies available, having the right human behind or in front of this technology makes all the difference,” said Esteban.

Founded in 2013 by five architects with a combined 150 years of higher education knowledge and experience, KWK Architects partners with colleges and universities across the United States to create innovative and inspiring places that enhance campus life. For more information about KWK Architects, visit www.kwkarchitects.com or contact Director of Marketing Cindy Hausler at cindyh@kwkarchitects.com.

Students returning to historic Corbin Hall at the University of Kansas – Lawrence (KU) for the fall semester stepped into a newly renovated, modern space complete with upgraded mechanical systems, a new main entry and upgrades to all student rooms, restrooms and public spaces.

St. Louis-based KWK Architects was tasked with designing the $13.5 million interior renovation, which required that the historic hall for women remain closed for the 2017-2018 school year.

“KU Student Housing is extremely pleased with the renovation of our historic Corbin Hall. The work of the entire KWK team allowed for a very successful and on-time project completion. The building was filled to capacity at move-in. Students and past residents of Corbin – many of them now mothers of current Corbin residents – have praised the updates that both renewed Corbin and honored its rich tradition at KU,” said Sarah Waters, KU Director of Student Housing.

The original Corbin Hall, completed in 1923 at a cost of $156,558, was designed to accommodate 107 students plus a house manager and social director, with six stories on the east side and four stories on the west side. Developed specifically to meet the housing needs of undergraduate women, Corbin became KU’s first dormitory. A north addition was completed in 1951 to accommodate an additional 180 students. Corbin Hall and its north addition underwent major renovations in the 1990s, which included improvements to the restrooms and living and study areas, plus the addition of computer and Internet hookups.

Under the recent renovations, the 99,240-square-foot hall received a new HVAC system that includes individual temperature controls in each student bedroom and new mechanical, plumbing, electrical, data and fire protection systems throughout.

KWK Architects also relocated the lounges on each floor to improve student interaction, improved accessibility features, renovated the laundry room, and added a multipurpose room and residential staff workspaces. Original fireplaces in three of the four central floor lounges were kept intact to maintain the hall’s historic character.

“Our approach to designing the interior was to always keep the history and purpose of this building as a forethought in every finish we selected,” said Meghan Bogener, AIA, IIDA, Project Architect and Interior Designer at KWK Architects. “We started with the carpet selection, choosing a contemporary abstract floral carpeting that was appropriate for a hall housing all women, yet had a modern look. We selected different accent paints from historical paint collections for each floor to help establish community identity and also provide wayfinding. We also made sure to give a nod to the building’s history by matching finishes where we could, such as selecting wood finishes and stains that tied back into all of the existing woodwork in the main building lounge.”

The hall’s bathrooms were completely replaced and upgraded for accessibility throughout the building with a combination of private bathrooms and community bathrooms with private shower stalls. The shower stalls contain shower units placed inside high-walled privacy stalls with locks that have a visual “occupied” indicator. Each enclosed stall has a drying/dressing area outside the shower. The toilet enclosures are surrounded by the same high-walled privacy stalls as the showers.

Another major improvement to the hall was renovation of the entry lobby. The existing entry lobby was dark and dated and created congestion, which did not allow for good security coverage and access control. The new lobby takes better advantage of existing windows, which provide more natural light and views to downtown Lawrence. Light-colored flooring and countertop materials as well as high-efficiency LED lighting were specified to brighten the space, and the new front desk was finished with wood to match the existing adjacent main lounge.

“We kept the existing main exterior entry vestibule doors and reworked the floor plan of the main lobby for a new two-station front desk that is centered on the door and welcoming, yet provides increased security coverage for both building wings,” said Andy Noll, Project Manager at KWK Architects. “The desk functions were married to a mail room behind to improve mail and package deliveries and distribution to the residents. The mailboxes were recycled from McCollum Hall, which was demolished in 2015.”

The renovated design has 149 bedrooms, including a mix of single, double and triple rooms, and can accommodate 314 residents. High-efficiency LED lighting was used throughout the building and each bedroom has dual light switching to allow students to control the lighting levels at the front of the room at the closets and at the back of the room where beds and windows are located. This lighting configuration allows for students sharing a room to not disturb a sleeping roommate, plus allows for energy savings if the student chooses to use the natural light through the windows at the back of the room.

Corbin Hall had a very dated kitchenette with old appliances that was replaced with a completely new kitchen. The renovation allowed the new kitchen to become more public and centralized between the two wings for the residents and their guests to use. It was also renovated with windows to the main corridor to provide a visual connection and has an improved layout that encourages socialization and community through an accessible center island as well as a round dining table option.

Noll said one of the biggest challenges on the project was working within the complex historic construction of the hall’s south wing built in 1923. To add to the complexity, the central Residence Life offices located in Corbin Hall needed to be occupied, active and open to the students during the entire renovation.

“We conducted detailed site visits to really get to know and understand how the buildings were assembled. This gave us a sort of x-ray vision to understand how we could work within the constraints of the existing buildings. We then were able to determine what items could be left as-is or needed to be renovated or replaced to comply with current building codes.”

KWK discovered that the floor slabs under most of the bathrooms had years of water damage and needed to be repaired. Building an accurate BIM model of the existing building paid dividends to the design and engineering team as KWK worked though the design process.

“We were able to design around the existing built elements to reduce conflicts during construction between the new and the existing,” said Noll. “Working with the owner, cost estimator and construction manager at risk in a collaborative process, we were able to build in contingencies for unknown surprises that we encountered in such a complicated renovation project as Corbin. Combining a highly technical approach with our firm’s housing design expertise, we were able to deliver a cost-effective and functional design solution that met the client’s project goals.”

Founded in 2013 by five architects with a combined 150 years of higher education knowledge and experience, KWK Architects partners with colleges and universities across the United States to create innovative and inspiring places that enhance campus life. For more information about KWK Architects, visit www.kwkarchitects.com or contact Director of Marketing Cindy Hausler at cindyh@kwkarchitects.com.

Students returning to Midland University in Nebraska following summer break will be able to re-connect, grow and build lifelong relationships at the university’s modern, new Eikmeier Commons in the Olson Student Center.

Described by donors as a “kitchen table” for the campus, Eikmeier Commons marks the final stage of the Olson Student Center’s $1.5 million dining hall (completed in the fall of 2017) and student commons renovation project. KWK Architects was the designer on both projects, as well other campus projects over the past year including an Athletic Training Facility Study and new business school in Omaha.

The Olson Student Center was originally constructed in 1919, with renovations to the facility last recorded in 1997. University administrators decided that the building’s 4,700-square-foot lower level was being under-utilized and would make an ideal, and much needed gathering space for students.

“Midland University has been a huge part of our lives, and it is also vital to the Fremont community. When Midland approached Shelly and I regarding the opportunity to become engaged in this project, we were all in,” said Randy Eikmeier. “It has always amazed me that during family gatherings everyone ends up in the kitchen. This project has the potential to become Midland’s ‘kitchen table,’ and we have great hopes that it will become a favorite spot for students.”

Principal at KWK Architects Eric Neuner, AIA, NCARB, says the new student commons was designed to serve multiple functions for student activities. The project added 75 built-in seats to support the Warrior Grille, and provides soft seating for flexibility and group gathering. The renovation also provides two new conference rooms and a new ADA-compliant restroom.

Ceramic tile flooring was specified at the main circulation routes for durability, along with Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) and carpet tile. The space also features solid surface countertops for the built-ins, dimmable LED fixtures for lighting flexibility, 22 television monitors, a game area and performance stage featuring a stone surround fireplace.

The new Eikmeier Commons provides Midland University students with an engaging space to gather and connect while not on the field, court, stage, or in the classroom. The university is committed to creating a home for students that supports personal development, provides a safe, engaging community, and improves students’ lives.

Founded in 2013 by five architects with a combined 150 years of higher education knowledge and experience, KWK Architects partners with colleges and universities across the United States to create innovative and inspiring places that enhance campus life. Areas of expertise include student housing and dining, and academic and science/technology spaces. KWK Architects has completed more than $1 billion in construction-valued projects since its founding and currently employs a growing staff of 15 at its headquarters in St. Louis, MO. For more information about KWK Architects, visit www.kwkarchitects.com or contact Director of Marketing Cindy Hausler at cindyh@kwkarchitects.com.

KWK Architects Principal Paul Wuennenberg, AIA, LEED AP, along with Diane Brittingham, Director of Residence Life and Associate Director at the University of Oklahoma, will share their personal experiences and insights into designing a residential college vs. a traditional residence hall at the Association of College and University Housing Officers – International (ACUHO-I) Conference & Expo., July 7-10 in Denver, CO.

ACUHO-I is a leading organization of more than 17,000 housing and residence life professionals representing 1.2 million on-campus students from around the globe. ACUHO-I provides its members with research, leadership tools and training programs geared toward optimizing on-campus student living environments.

Wuennenberg and Brittingham’s education session, “Designing Hogwarts: The Residential College of the 21st Century,” will take an in-depth look at the residential college model. Just like the famed Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry portrayed in the fictional J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, modern residential colleges include strong academic and community elements, as well as student rooms and dining. The pair will talk about how the residential college model has evolved and how the design process for creating these facilities differs from that of a traditional residence hall.

Additionally, Brittingham will discuss the impact this model is having on the Residential Life program at the University of Oklahoma, which opened its first residential colleges, Headington and Dunham, in the fall of 2017.

The $75 million residential colleges, designed by KWK Architects, were influenced by the residential colleges on Ivy League campuses such as Harvard, Yale, Oxford and Cambridge. Each college features a faculty master apartment and office, dormitories, private parking, seminar/conference rooms, lounges, study areas, libraries and dining rooms. Each has its own house motto, colors, crest and athletic teams.

For more information about the ACUHO-I Conference & Expo., visit www.acuho-i.org/events/ace.

Founded in 2013 by five architects with a combined 150 years of higher education knowledge and experience, KWK Architects partners with colleges and universities across the United States to create innovative and inspiring places that enhance campus life. For more information about KWK Architects, visit www.kwkarchitects.com or contact Director of Marketing Cindy Hausler at cindyh@kwkarchitects.com.

Master plan includes five new residence halls and a multi-restaurant dining facility

The University of Missouri (Mizzou) in Columbia, MO is bustling with two new residence halls; a state-of-the-art, multi-restaurant dining facility; and a Starbucks coffeehouse – all designed by KWK Architects as part of a multi-phase community redevelopment project.

KWK Architects, experts in student housing and dining design, was selected by the university to create a master plan for its Dobbs Neighborhood Redevelopment. The three-phased, master plan would include a total of five new residence halls and a distinctive dining facility to replace an outdated dining hall and three residential towers, all of which were demolished to make room for the new buildings.

“The goal of the master plan was to design a supporting community development at multiple levels primarily for first-year residents, create state-of-the-art dining for 2,500 plus residents in the area and create exterior, residential-friendly outdoor spaces, while defining circulation and service areas,” said KWK Architects Principal Sara Koester.

Phase I of the master plan included two new residence halls, Brooks and Bluford Halls, and a 580-seat dining facility. Brooks Hall, named after the university’s first African American administrator George C. Brooks, opened in fall 2016. The five-story, 89,400-square-foot residence hall houses 293 students. A computer center serving the complex is located on the building’s main floor.

The five-story Bluford Hall, opened for the 2017-2018 school year, is named after the late journalist and honorary doctoral degree recipient Lucile Bluford, and houses 282 students in 80,100 square feet. The building includes the new 29,600-square-foot dining facility, The Restaurants at Southwest, which occupies the majority of the first floor and replaces the outdated dining pavilion.

“The exterior character of the new residence halls acknowledges and complements the existing adjacent buildings and exterior environment,” said KWK Architects Principal Paul Wuennenberg. “Sustainable design was a major focus of the project, and the buildings are anticipated to achieve a LEED Silver designation. Solar panels on the Brooks Hall roof pre-heat the domestic water to reduce energy use. Additionally, the roof over the dining in Bluford Hall was designed for a future vegetated-tray green roof.”

The Restaurants at Southwest features six distinct dining venues that support a la carte service during the academic year and all-you-care-to-eat dining during the summer. Dining options at The Restaurants at Southwest include: Legacy Grill, Tiger Avenue Deli, Olive & Oil, 1+5+3 Soups & Salads, 1839 Kitchen, and Truffles. The facility handles the student population of 2,500 to 3,000 who live in the residence halls and nearby fraternities and sororities. The dining facility serves as the social hub of the neighborhood, anchoring the main pedestrian walkway to the academic campus, with the Starbucks store conveniently located along this promenade.

KWK has also completed designs for Phase II of the Dobbs Neighborhood Redevelopment, which includes a third and fourth residence hall, each with five-stories for a total of 120,991 square feet. When completed, the new halls will provide 384 beds and an Academic Resource Center.

KWK Architects partnered with The Lawrence Group as associate architect for the Dobbs project.

Founded in 2013 by five architects with a combined 150 years of higher education knowledge and experience, KWK Architects partners with colleges and universities across the United States to create innovative and inspiring places that enhance campus life. For more information about KWK Architects, visit www.kwkarchitects.com or contact Director of Marketing Cindy Hausler at cindyh@kwkarchitects.com.

Student housing experts KWK Architects has been selected the design architect for a $20 million, multi-building apartment/townhouse project at South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD. Architecture Incorporated, based in Sioux Falls, SD, has been selected the architect-of-record for the project.

The KWK Architects project design team includes Design Principal Javier Esteban, Project Designer Paul Wuennenberg and Project Architect Matt Kirschner. This is KWK Architects’ first project in South Dakota.

“We are looking forward to working closely with the residential administrators at South Dakota State University to design a beautiful, new apartment neighborhood that meets the needs of the university’s students and sets itself apart from the traditional residence halls on campus,” said Esteban.

University officials plan to build multiple buildings to house juniors, seniors and graduate students on a two-block parcel on the southeast corner of the campus. The existing State Court Apartments, built in 1959, currently occupies this site. The site is bordered by 7th Street to the south, 8th Street to the north, 14th Avenue to the west and Jackrabbit Avenue to the east.

The redevelopment will consist of a three-story apartment building and four to six, two-story townhouses in a mix of 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom plans. The apartments will also feature off-street parking and in-unit laundries.

According to university officials, the new facilities will be residential in appearance, but distinctive as apartments, making them aesthetically distinguishable from the residence halls in this quadrant of the campus.

Founded in 2013 by five architects with a combined 120 years of higher education knowledge and experience, KWK Architects partners with colleges and universities across the United States to create innovative and inspiring places that enhance campus life. For more information about KWK Architects, visit www.kwkarchitects.com or contact Director of Marketing Cindy Hausler at cindyh@kwkarchitects.com.

Construction is well underway on a $104.5 million renovation and addition to the University of Minnesota’s historic Pioneer Hall. Design architect KWK Architects, partnered with architecture/engineering firm-of-record TKDA of St. Paul, MN, was contracted to transform the aging residence hall into a modern living space for the university’s students.

Constructed in stages from 1928 to 1932, Pioneer Hall is one of the oldest residence and dining halls on the U of M Twin Cities campus. University officials debated for several years over whether to completely renovate or tear down and replace the outdated structure, which did not meet current building codes and was not handicap accessible. It was also plagued with narrow corridors, small rooms and bathrooms, poor layout, limited social/study space, no air-conditioning, outdated electrical and plumbing systems, and a subterranean dining facility.

The project was approved as a capital budget amendment to the FY2017 Capital Budget by the university’s Board of Regents in September 2016 and the schematic design was approved by the Board of Regents in May 2017.

The project will retain the character-defining features of the existing building, while strategically expanding the building footprint to improve housing and dining programs. The housing component will increase the number of beds to 756, while aligning program delivery and student amenities with comparable university facilities. The plan also incorporates study and community spaces to enhance the first-year student experience.

The dining program will be raised up to grade level, and seating capacity expanded to serve the student population of the Superblock while offering expanded meal, serving and seating options. Seating capacity for the new dining facility will accommodate 850 students at any given time.

The renovation provides for full ADA Accessibility, mitigating a significant deficiency in the existing building, as well as an open and welcoming lobby area featuring meeting spaces, business/technology center and recreation room.

Community-style living unit modules with small groups of residents sharing a community bathroom and other building support spaces such a meditation rooms and lounges are also planned.

When complete, Pioneer Hall will have approx. 257,000 square feet, with 85,600 square feet of renovated space and 171,400 square feet of new construction.

“The former Pioneer Hall had very limited public space and most of it was below grade. What we are able to achieve in the new design is a lot more public space for students to gather and to leave their rooms to interact and to socialize, as well as study,” said Daniel Elliott, U of M Associate Director of Facilities, Housing and Residential Life.

The project follows the State of Minnesota Sustainable Building Guidelines and meets the Minnesota SB2030 Energy Standard. Delivered via a Construction Manager at Risk, McGough Construction of St. Paul, MN, the new Pioneer Hall is slated to open for the Fall 2019 semester.

About KWK Architects

Founded in 2013 by five architects with a combined 150 years of higher education knowledge and experience, KWK Architects partners with colleges and universities across the United States to create innovative and inspiring places that enhance campus life. Areas of expertise include student housing and dining, and academic and science/technology spaces. KWK Architects has completed more than $1 billion in construction-valued projects since its founding and currently employs a growing staff of 15 at its headquarters in St. Louis, MO. For more information about KWK Architects, visit www.kwkarchitects.com or contact Director of Marketing Cindy Hausler at cindyh@kwkarchitects.com.

Facility is largest capital improvement project on campus in over a decade

KWK Architects is working on designs for a new $3.5 million athletic stadium at Westminster College in Fulton, MO, following a surprise announcement to students last week.

The new facility is made possible in part by a $3 million gift from college alumnus Kent Mueller and his wife, Judy. Westminster students learned of the big news on March 13 during a luncheon at the college’s Historic Gymnasium.

“On behalf of the entire Westminster community, I want to thank Kent and Judy Mueller for their strong support of our students, programs and facilities,” said Westminster President Fletch Lamkin. “The Muellers were leaders during my first tenure as President of Westminster with their transformational gifts to make this a beautiful campus, and now they are stepping up to the plate once more to provide the quality athletic facilities our student-athletes deserve. This is great news for our students and prospective students.”

The new stadium will be located within the college’s existing sports complex, which includes a training facility, softball and baseball fields and tennis courts, along with football and soccer fields.

“The current location of the main athletic field does not adequately utilize the site’s potential for a new stadium,” said KWK Principal Eric Neuner, AIA, NCARB. “The plan is to replace the current field with a new turf field and 2,000-seat stadium to the north and to create more practice fields and possibly a running track to the south in the future.”

The new athletic stadium, the largest capital improvement project on campus in over a decade, will be used for Westminster and local community events. A walking track around the new field for use by students and the public is also planned.

Phase I of the project will include new turf, scoreboard and lights on the field and is expected to be completed by the start of the 2018 football season.

Phase II, which will include construction of the bleachers, press box, concessions and restrooms, is expected to be completed in summer 2019.

Founded in 2013 by five architects with a combined 150 years of higher education knowledge and experience, KWK Architects partners with colleges and universities across the United States to create innovative and inspiring places that enhance campus life. For more information about KWK Architects, visit www.kwkarchitects.com or contact Director of Marketing Cindy Hausler at cindyh@kwkarchitects.com or 314-583-1757.

With its housing facilities aging, Emporia State University in Kansas responded to input from students, parents and alumni to create inviting residential spaces on campus. University administrators decided to construct a 324-bed living/learning community for ESU students to replace two outdated residence halls on campus.

St. Louis, MO-based KWK Architects was hired as the design architect on the $22 million project, with HTK Architects of Topeka, Kansas serving as the architect-of-record.

The process of designing the new residence hall was very inclusive, with a close-knit client group that included representatives from a wide variety of stakeholders, including students, faculty, Residential Life, Student Affairs, Building Services, Information Technology and others.

The design of the new 91,000-square-foot building, recently named Schallenkamp Hall after the university’s 14th president, Dr. Kay Schallenkamp, features four stories and three residential wings, each with a variety of bedroom configurations (doubles, accessible doubles, singles and singles + bathroom). The residential wings are also designed with lounge areas, corridors with natural light and community bathrooms that afford privacy.

The design for Schallenkamp Hall also includes a learning commons area that features:

Two music practice rooms

Art studio

Team study room

A mid-sized classroom

Flexible collaboration space

Two-story lounges with community kitchens

“The entire design process for Schallenkamp Hall has maintained focus on the creation of intentional places and spaces for community and learning to develop and deepen,” said Cass Coughlin, Director, Department of Residential Life, Emporia State University. “The design of a learning commons as the hall’s ‘front porch’ connects the liberal arts and sciences to the residents via music practice rooms, an art studio, and several areas for group collaboration and study. The design looks great on paper, but Schallenkamp Hall will not realize its full potential and beauty until students — past, present and future — and the Lyon County community animate the building and its design intents.”

The new hall will be constructed directly across Market Street from Beach and King Halls, which house the art, theater and music departments. Market Street is the main corridor through campus. Schallenkamp Hall is scheduled to open in August 2019 and replace Central and Northeast Morse Halls, which are both scheduled for demolition in summer 2019. Central Hall (opened in 1951) has 114 beds and Northeast Morse Hall (opened in 1964) has 151 beds.

About KWK Architects

Founded in 2013 by five architects with a combined 120 years of higher education knowledge and experience, KWK Architects partners with colleges and universities across the United States to create innovative and inspiring places that enhance campus life. Areas of expertise include student housing and dining, and academic and science/technology spaces. KWK Architects has completed more than $1 billion in construction-valued projects since its founding and currently employs a growing staff of 15 at its headquarters in St. Louis, MO. For more information about KWK Architects, visit www.kwkarchitects.com or contact Director of Marketing Cindy Hausler at cindyh@kwkarchitects.com or 314-583-1757.

When it comes to food choices, students at the University of Missouri have a variety of options to suit every taste, with a visit to The Restaurants at Southwest designed by St. Louis, MO-based KWK Architects.

Opened for the 2017-2018 school year at a cost of $15 million, The Restaurants at Southwest dining facility features something for everyone. Unlike the traditional, buffet-style, all-you-can eat service of most student dining halls, The Restaurants at Southwest offers a la carte service, which lessens food waste and inventory.

The Restaurants at Southwest features six restaurant-style dining options, which include:

KWK Architects, along with associate architect Lawrence Group, was contracted in 2013 to design a 30,000-square-foot, 600-seat dining facility and adjoining residence hall to replace the Pavilion at Dobbs, which was demolished in September 2017 upon completion of The Restaurants at Southwest.

Located on the Southwest campus near athletic facilities and the university’s Greek Town of fraternities and sororities, The Restaurants at Southwest was designed to be a social hub for the Dobbs residential neighborhood.

Founded in 2013 by five architects with a combined 150 years of higher education knowledge and experience, KWK Architects partners with colleges and universities across the United States to create innovative and inspiring places that enhance campus life. For more information about KWK Architects, visit www.kwkarchitects.com or contact Director of Marketing Cindy Hausler at cindyh@kwkarchitects.com or 314-583-1757.